id: 150084 accession number: 1980.289 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1980.289 updated: 2023-09-15 11:23:04.957000 Construction of an Elevated Railway: Bridge over the Cours de Vincennes, 1888. Paul Désiré Trouillebert (French, 1829–1900). Oil on fabric; unframed: 38.2 x 56 cm (15 1/16 x 22 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Noah L. Butkin 1980.289 title: Construction of an Elevated Railway: Bridge over the Cours de Vincennes title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 1888 creation date earliest: 1888 creation date latest: 1888 current location: creditline: Bequest of Noah L. Butkin copyright: --- culture: France, 19th century technique: oil on fabric department: Modern European Painting and Sculpture collection: Mod Euro - Painting 1800-1960 type: Painting find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS * Paul Désiré Trouillebert (French, 1829–1900) - artist Paul Désiré Trouillebert, a student of Ernest Hébert (1817-1908) and Charles-François Jalabert (1819-1901), made his debut at the Salon of 1865, exhibiting a portrait. He continued to paint portraits until about 1881, when he started to concentrate on landscapes. He received some attention when one of his paintings in the collection of the writer Alexandre Dumas was sold as a work by Corot (q.v.). Trouillebert painted a wide variety of subjects, including genre scenes, portraits, nudes, and landscapes. --- measurements: Unframed: 38.2 x 56 cm (15 1/16 x 22 1/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: Signed lower left: Trouillebert translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Year in Review: 1980 opening date: 1981-06-24T04:00:00 Year in Review: 1980. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (June 24-July 19, 1981). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE Edme Piot [1828-1909], Paris, by descent to his family date: 1888-1909 footnotes: *
In need of money to purchase a house in Candes, Trouillebert offered his services in 1888 to an acquaintance, Edme Piot, a public works contractor in Paris and later, senator of the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.  Piot was in charge of the elevation of the railroad encircling Paris, and he commissioned five paintings from Trouillebert, including the Cleveland picture, that depict the contruction work.
citations: Descendents of Edme Piot date: 1909- footnotes: citations: (Galerie J. F. Heim, Paris, sold to Noah and Muriel Butkin date: Until 1977 footnotes: *
The sale to the Butkins was brokered by Galerie Arnoldi-Livie, Munich.
citations: Noah and Muriel Butkin, Cleveland, OH, bequeathed to the Cleveland Museum of Art as a result of disclaimer by Muriel S. Butkin date: Until 1980 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio date: 1980- footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: Conceived in 1851, after Napoleon III came to power, the railway encircling Paris was intended to transport merchandise and, eventually, passengers. The railway represented a new convenience, but measures were needed to ensure the safety of other traffic. The numerous railway crossings included in the initial plans turned out to be a source of fatal accidents. To remedy the problem, the platforms and retaining walls were to be raised at the most dangerous spots. The Cours de Vincennes, in the eastern part of Paris, had been one of the deadliest intersections. The work on an elevated railway bridge over this street, which is depicted here, was completed in February 1889. Trouillebert concentrated on portraits until about 1881, when he began to focus on landscapes. He also painted everyday scenes and nudes. He was commissioned by Edme Piot, a public works contractor, to paint this and four related views of the Paris railway construction. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS page number: url: d'Argencourt, Louise, Roger Diederen, and Alisa Luxenberg. European Paintings of the 19th Century. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1999. page number: url: Angelika Livie, email to Victoria Sears Goldman, Jan. 9, 2015, in CMA curatorial file page number: url: Estate of Noah L. Butkin, Bequests to Cleveland Museum of Art as a result of disclaimer by Murel S. Butkin. Estates, Gifts, and Funds, Series 1, Box 2:14. Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. page number: url: Argencourt, Louise d', and Roger Diederen. Catalogue of Paintings. Pt. 4. European Paintings of the 19th Century. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1974. page number: Mentioned and reproduced: P. 603-604, Vol. II, no. 212 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1980.289/1980.289_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1980.289/1980.289_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1980.289/1980.289_full.tif